CliffyB: "It's BS that EA has scumbag memes and that Good Guy Valve can do no wrong"

Former Epic developer Cliff Blezsinski has called for a halt to the endless stream of vitriol aimed at the free to play market.

Instead of spending so much time shouting loudly at the internet, he argues, all gamers need to do is vote with their wallets. All publishers are businesses after all and must inevitably respond to lack of consumer spend.

“The video game industry is just that. An industry,” he wrote on his blog. “Which means that it exists in a capitalistic world. You know, a free market. A place where you’re welcome to spend your money on whatever you please… or to refrain from spending that money.

“I’ve seen a lot of comments online about microtransactions. They’re a dirty word lately, it seems. Gamers are upset that publishers/developers are ‘nickel and diming them’. They’re raging at ‘big and evil corporations who are clueless and trying to steal their money’.

“I’m going to come right out and say it. I’m tired of EA being seen as ‘the bad guy’. I think it’s bull$#@! that EA has the ‘scumbag EA’ memes on Reddit and that Good Guy Valve can Do No Wrong.

“Don’t get me wrong – I’m a huge fan of Gabe and co most everything they do. However, it blows my mind that somehow gamers don’t seem to get that Valve is a business, just like any other, and when Valve charges $100 for an engagement ring in Team Fortress 2 it’s somehow ‘cool’ yet when EA wants to sell something similar it’s seen as ‘evil’.

“No one seemed too upset at Blizzard when you could buy a pet in World of Warcraft – a game that you had to buy that was charging a monthly fee.

“Yes, guys, I hate to break it to you, as awesome as Valve is they’re also a company that seeks to make as much money as possible. They’re just way better at their image control. Making money and running a business is not inherently evil. It creates jobs and growth and puts food on the table.

“People like to act like we should go back to ‘the good ol’ days’ before microtransactions but they forget that arcades were the original change munchers. Those games were designed to make you lose so that you had to keep spending money on them.

“If you don’t like EA, don’t buy their games. If you don’t like their microtransactions, don’t spend money on them. It’s that simple. EA has many smart people working for them (Hi, Frank, JR, and Patrick!) and they wouldn’t attempt these things if they didn’t work. Turns out, they do. I assure you there are teams of analysts studying the numbers behind consumer behaviour over there that are studying how you, the gamer, spends his hard earned cash.

“If you’re currently raging about this on GAF, or on the IGN forums, or on Gamespot, guess what? You’re the vocal minority. Your average guy that buys just Madden and GTA every year doesn’t know, nor does he care. He has no problem throwing a few bucks more at a game because, hey, why not?”

I really don't buy many EA games, so I'm not really current with their practices to micro transactions outside of sports games. It's funny to compare it to TF2, that releases new game modes, maps, weapons or cosmetics still to this day after FIVE years being on the market. That you can play or obtain without spending a dime of real money. The micro transactions can be a bit silly like the rings, but the game is not Pay to Win.

And those that spend 100 on the ring and the stupid message pops up while I play, I don't think it's cool. I just think why would someone spend THAT much money on a digital ring. With EA and sports titles, they do withhold things like jerseys so you might pay for 'em. In TF2, many of the cosmetics like hats are created by community members who actually get a cut of the profits. So some people feel they are supporting the little guy by buying hats.

Better question is this, why is CliffyB so mad about this if the gaffros and IGNers are just some small vocal minority? If they have no impact on sales? Seems like he's trying to stay busy in the business he took a break from.

I dislike microtransactions as I feel they should be part of the game to begin with but if it's something like community-created cosmetic items then I don't really see a problem with it, especially if it's reasonably priced.

The only thing I don't like about EA is their hold on the NFL and FIFA licenses. It allows their games to be sold at a higher price for longer periods. But then again its just as much their fault as EA for signing the deal. I guess money talks.

Valve: not run for shareholders therefore decisions made are for the good of the company.
EA: run for shareholders therefore decisions made are for the good of the shareholders.

They're two very different things. Valve can absolutely do wrong, without a shadow of a doubt but for me; they're doing far more right than they are wrong. I can't say the same for EA.

I've no issue with micro-transactions in themselves, as long as they're not shoved down your throat. Having a great time with Path of Exile (if you like ARPG, just get it!). Grinding Gear Games are a small outfit with 'ethical' micro-transactions that (some of which) add a layer of convenience to their game.

So far, I've spent nearly £30 on that 'free to play' game because first and foremost; the game is good right out the gate and secondly, the purchases I've made feel like they benefit my time investment in the game (I've purchased 2 lots of premium stash tabs). Even on it's purely free model, I'm sure you get more storage than you do fully unlocked in Diablo III, for example.

I enjoy their game, I like who they appear to be as a unit and I'm willing to give back/support them financially even though there's really no need for me to do so just to enjoy their product.

With EA, things that stick in my head are being reminded to buy stuff in Dragon Age: Origins, the Origin platform and online passes. None of which made me think this is a company that values my custom. So I don't spend any more money on them than I absolutely have to - which incidentally, I don't think I've done in the last 6 months.

As for Cliffy, when he's writing a 'hi' to his friends at EA; I struggle to take his point seriously in trying to make me change my mind about how I perceive Electronic Arts.

EA's Origin client pushes ads on your face everytime you quit a game even if you have the game thats being advertised. Example being BF3 and the premium service (if it can be called that) I play BF3 for a few rounds then quit and when I do a popup advert is in my face that basically wants me to buy premium even though I already have it and there is no way int he options to disable these popups.

ClffyB is taking this too seriously. Everyone loves to crack jokes and trash talk popular things and people. And also, it's the internet. Nerds always rage on the internet. So just deal with it, Cliffy. Lol. But EA really is just plain evil. Cliffy mad because people call it as they see it:

ClffyB is taking this too seriously. Everyone loves to crack jokes and trash talk popular things and people. And also, it's the internet. Nerds always rage on the internet. So just deal with it, Cliffy. Lol. But EA really is just plain evil. Cliffy mad because people call it as they see it:

Yea, why does he care when the sales are coming in...isn't that his point? People still buy EA stuff, heck I know I do because they have some key developers...am i going to stop? No. Am I going to go with their micro-transactions? No.

The SimCity thing right now being an example, though they certainly aren't the only one pushing their subsidiaries into making game online when it's completely unnecessary...
I could join the herd (probably read: minority that refuses to buy the game and HOPE that forces them to create an offline update but this is a rare case where I've waited too long for a proper sequel. As far as Cliff is concerned I see you point, and more of this DOES need to happen though it seems set in stone that most gamers (the minority in the know) will deal as long as there's a possibility in a fun engaging experience. (ie my case pretty much)

EDIT: and to the above believe or not (I'm guessing NOT in your case) There are actually people in and among these businesses that actually care about what they make and use gamers, rather than putting $$ as top priority. (ie greedy publishers vs a dev team trying to actually create an engrossing experience that people will like, and having to compromise with said greedy controlling publisher or their hard work doesn't get out)

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